solicit

To persistently endeavor to obtain an object, or bring about an event.

Noun

  1. Solicitation.
    • (1) How many male or female students are named (or otherwise identified) in the context of a solicit? (2) How many words of a solicit are directed to a particular student? - 2017, Lia Litosseliti, Research Methods in...

Origin

From Middle English soliciten, solliciten, from Old French soliciter, solliciter, borrowed from Latin sollicitō (“stir, disturb; look after”), from sollicitus (“agitated, anxious, punctilious”, literally “thoroughly moved”), from sollus (“whole, entire”) + perfect passive participle of cieō (“shake, excite, cite, to put in motion”).

Forms

solicits sollicit

Verb

  1. To persistently endeavor to obtain an object, or bring about an event.
    • to solicit alms, or a favour
    • I view my crime, but kindle at the view, Repent old pleasures, and solicit new. Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me? - 1717, Alexander Pope, “Eloisa to Abelard”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume...

    Synonyms: supplicate thig

    Coordinate Terms: pester beg agitate

  2. To woo; to court.
    • American railroads are not permitted to operate long-haul road routes, but the I.C.C. decision of 1954 did permit them to solicit trailer business in, say, New York for Chicago provided the trailer was piggybacked in...

    Synonyms: address romance

  3. To persuade or incite one to commit some act, especially illegal or sexual behavior.
    • That fruit […] sollicited her longing eye. - 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias...
    • Sounds and some tangible qualities fail not to solicit their proper senses, and force an entrance to the mind. - , Book II, Chapter 1
    • If you want to lose your virginity, you should try to solicit some fine looking women.
  4. To offer to perform sexual activity, especially when for a payment.
    • My girlfriend tried to solicit me for sex, but I was tired.
  5. To make a petition.

    Synonyms: appeal petition request

  6. To disturb or trouble; to harass.
  7. To urge the claims of; to plead; to act as solicitor for or with reference to.
    • Should My brother henceforth study to forget The vow that he hath made thee, I would ever Solicit thy deserts. - 1628, John Ford, The Lover's Melancholy:

    Synonyms: plead

  8. To disturb; to disquiet.
    • 1611-1615, George Chapman, Iliad, Book XVI Hath any ill solicited thine ears?
    • But anxious fears solicit my weak breast. - 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act I, page 3:

    Synonyms: worry

Forms

solicits soliciting solicited sollicit

Related

solicitation solicitor solicitous solicitude unsolicited

Derived

nonsolicit nonsolicited nonsoliciting resolicit solicitee solicitory unsolicited